The Massive Hudson Valley Traffic Jams No One Talks About

I thought I had planned the perfect commute to work this morning. Unfortunately, I forgot to take one very special factor into consideration.

There are a few routes for me to take from my home in Newburgh, NY to my office in Poughkeepsie. 9W is great after school buses have returned to their garages, and back roads are perfect to avoid traffic during rush hour (although the horse traffic is another factor all together). But then there's what happened this morning...

This massive line of traffic on Route 32 in Newburgh, NY was caused by a sneaky culprit (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Massive Traffic Line in Newburgh, NY

There's no shortage of reasons for long lines of cars on country roads in the Hudson Valley. From school buses to farm tractors to the occasional cyclist who refuses to move over, there's plenty of vehicles to snarl a road trip. Unfortunately, spring brings another culprit that can be found on roads all across the region... and they have a very important job to do.

The line of cars behind the Town of Newburgh, NY's mower was at least 40 cars long (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Watch Out for Road Mowers in the Hudson Valley, NY

In spring, New York State is in full bloom. While that's great news for gardeners (and procreating skunks), it can also spell trouble for country roads at danger of being reclaimed by the weeds and trees on the shoulder. That's where the mowers come in.

You never know what will be right around the corner on a back road in the Hudson Valley, NY (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Reasons for Road Mowing in the Hudson Valley, NY

This morning, there were no less than 40 cars lined up on Route 32 in Newburgh, NY, all moving at a crawl. The reason for the holdup was the giant mower at the head of the procession which was thankfully (but slowly) cutting back weeds from the highway. It was the same story on Fosler Road, with another mower doing their job at 10 miles per hour (above).

New York State's 5 Most Dangerous Roads [RANKED]

With plenty of big cities and numerous busy highways, it should come as no surprise New York state is unfortunately home to some of the most dangerous roads in the nation. While you would expect New York City to be the home of such roadways (2 on this list), the danger is not limited to the Big Apple. According to Catalano Law, 3 New York State's 5 most dangerous roads live mostly Upstate and should be navigated with the most extreme caution. Here are the 5 most dangerous in the Empire State.

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff